A while back, I reviewed Cafe 0 which is still one of my favorite visual novels due to its Twilight Zone feel. I also recreated all three versions of the main character, Marin Umino, as best as I could using the Azaleas Dolls game (Snow Queen Scene Maker), which you can check out for yourself on Azaleasdolls.com. Despite the premise of Marin being a ghost who relives the past seven days of her life, the game is more tragic than it is scary. For those of you who haven’t played it yet, be sure to check out the game on roseverte.com and be warned that there are major spoilers in what I’m about to say.

To me, what makes the game tragic is Marin and the characters that surround her. To an outsider, it seems she has the perfect life. Marin’s the most popular girl in school, she has a nice apartment, she’s the swimming team’s ace, dating the most popular boy in school, boys want her and girls want to be her. However, just because she’s admired doesn’t mean anyone loves her. Marin’s best friend, Ami, is only hanging out with her because they’re both popular. Ami has no issue with stabbing Marin in the back if she benefits. Marin’s boyfriend, Tooru, is only dating her to further his own ends and blackmailed Shou, her doctor who is also Marin’s secret boyfriend, into making Marin date him. As for Shou, he’s an adult and Marin is a teenage girl. So the fact that he’s involved with her in private means he’s basically committing statutory rape and also prostituting his girlfriend to protect his own career because Tooru made it clear that he will expose Marin and Shou together if Shou doesn’t make Marin date Tooru. Keep in mind that Marin doesn’t even want to date him and is only doing whatever Tooru wants to make Shou happy. Really think about that for a minute. To anyone asking, “where’s her parents in all this?” They’re off in who knows where and leave their kid to fend for herself without even a pet for company. Even Marin wonders if she’s an unwanted child. So this girl had no genuine love in her life. Just people who took advantage of her and used her for their own ends. Marin dies unloved and no one mourns her death. I’ll admit, I’ve been used myself and I have trouble telling who my real friends are, but the worst that I ever happened to me was that I got called out on the internet, or I had a pool installed and people I’ve never even talked to suddenly wanted to be my friend. Even if I was used to such an extent I know that, through it all, I’ll always have my mother and I also have pets that love me unconditionally. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in Marin’s shoes. I’ll admit, usually, I hate the popular kid is sad trope, like how Smallville portrays Lana Lang, but here it works. Marin is Lana if the writers of Smallville actually took the time to write her better.

That’s right, back from the dead and I’ve got big plans for this blog. As many of you already know, I review video games from Final Fantasy to Diner Dash. This time, I plan on reviewing dollmakers as well because, whether you think they’re art or not, they are video games in the loosest sense of the word. I’m also expanding my repertoire to board games and, like before, you can even request reviews.

This time, it won’t be just a review site. I’ll post anything related to video games or board games in even the loosest definition of the term. Who knows? I might post pictures of my time playing video games and board games with my friends. Maybe I’ll write fanfiction based off of them, such as narrating the Mice and Mystics game from the point of view of Prince Colin, the character I usually play as. I’ll even post what I create from dollmakers because, as I said before, they are video games.

The best part is, not only can you request video games and board games for me to review. You can also submit your own stuff to me to post on my blog. It can be anything from art, to fanfics and even your Let’s Plays of video games. Just don’t submit any reviews, because that’s my job.

Well, today was the day of the online memorial for Leonard Nimoy’s death. I went there as my character, T’Mara.

It took me a while to get here, because I couldn’t log into Star Trek Online and had to exit out of twitch tv in order for the game to stop crashing. After that, I managed to get back on twitch TV. There were memorials on New Romulus and Qo’nos as well,but I attended the one on Vulcan as my Vulcan character because I thought that was most appropriate. It started out as a simple service with everyone saying, “Live Long and Prosper,” including me, and giving the Vulcan salute, as shown in the screen shot above. Then a few trolls came in and started having their fun. One threw smoke grenades whenever he or she could.

Another lit up a disco ball that made everyone in the vicinity of it dance.

Some people got mad, but I think they were just trying to keep the memorial from being too tearful. After the fun was over, I went to Earth Spacedock and read the plaque for the people who worked on Star Trek that are no longer with us.

Though, I have to admit. It took me a while to find it.

Now that the recap’s out of the way, I would like to say a few words. My first introduction to Star Trek was The Next Generation and I didn’t watch the Original Series until I was in middle school. I looked the series up because I was curious to see the show that inspired the Star Trek universe and watched reruns of it on the sci-fi channel. While it was clear to me that Kirk was the looker of the group, I found myself literally falling in love with Spock’s intelligent and logical mind along with his struggle to be purely Vulcan while denying his human half. It was the first time I ever heard of logic and found myself embracing the Vulcan way of life, which I did poorly. I started forming an imaginary relationship with him in my head and, for a long time, I hated McCoy and anyone who dared to insult Spock. I don’t hate McCoy anymore, so don’t post on here telling me to stop hating him. After a while, Deep Space Nine became my favorite of the Star Trek series and I felt that Garak was the most developed character that Star Trek had to offer. However, Spock will always hold a special place in my heart and I will always love him. When I heard of Leonard Nimoy’s death, four thoughts popped into my head. If Kingdom Hearts wants to keep using old Xehanort, they’ll have to find a new voice actor. I’ll never hear another Leonard Nimoy voiceover on Star Trek Online again. Spock Prime will never have another cameo. Most importantly, I’ll never have the chance to meet Leonard Nimoy at Comic-Con and tell him what a huge impact Spock had on my life. It was because of Leonard Nimoy’s ideas that Spock became the character he is today. His death is the first time I ever cried for a celebrity, a man I didn’t even know, and now I never will.

This trailer is for the very first commercial game by Unbroken Hours that I was lucky enough to beta test! When a stranger, Xallaun, saves a young girl, Raissa, from a prison, she has no idea who she is. With her is Kione, a mysterious fire wizard, and Cyraen, an enigmatic boy with a doll he always carries around.

All they know is that they’re trapped in the ruins of a castle that two of them, Raissa and Kione, feel the urge to protect with their life while Cyraen feels the same urge for his doll. Can Raissa, Kione and Cyraen get their memories back? What’s the story behind the mysterious castle? How does Xallaun fit into all this? Find out when Unbroken Hours releases Princess of Ruin.

Mina has been sleeping for years in a crystal prison. Now that she’s awake, it’s time for Mina to unlock her true potential as the Death Orb. Whether she finds romance or corruption is all up to you.

What personality Mina takes is based entirely on what path you pursue. You can go on Rune, Cauis, Aurelius, Varian, a secret character or the alone path.

Each character has a minimum of two endings and only one of them is the true ending of the game. Some paths Mina tended to be annoying while on others she was a very strong character.

The game is pure visual novel form. In the first part, you make choices to determine what character you’ll pursue. In the next part, you make choices to determine what ending you get. As you complete each ending, you unlock new pictures for your gallery.

This game is interesting and fun. I give it 6 out of 10; not a bad way to spend your time.

Jill just got the bakery back for her grandparents but she still feels like something is missing. A few minutes later, two friends of hers ask for help with their bakeries. What path will Jill take in her life?

In this game, you meet Jack and Risha. You choose which one to help and after each setting is complete, you pick what to do next.

The story differs depending on what you pick. You can find love, fame, or realize that everything you wanted was there all along.

As I said earlier, you pick what direction Jill takes in the game. Each ending unlocks another trophy for the main menu. Other than that, it’s the same old thing. You bake a cake, frost it, put a topping on it and give it to the customer that requested it. You can’t advance through the levels until you get the required goal. If you’re lucky, you can get the super goal.

In between levels, you can purchase upgrades for your shop.

It’s fun and addictive. I give it 8 out of 10, even better than the last game.

After awakening from a long sleep, traveling through Moonfell Well, and seeking the Goblins’ aid, Princess Sophia finally discovers her home. For some reason, the people have been turned to stone and a man named Dreadmyre threatens the safety of it.

Like the last games, Sophia has no powers and is reliant on her own skills and her magic companions. In this one, it works to her advantage because Dreadmyre can’t harm her. She also meets the many servants of the castle and discovers why her parents did what they did.

The game play is reliant on logic. You have to find objects throughout the game and figure out which object would be put to better use in which scene.

If you’re stuck, you can use a hint. You also have two companions in the form of a pocket dragon and a wise owl.

After this, you can play the epilogue to discover that the series isn’t over yet. If you feel like shelling out extra money, you can get some bonus content.

This game is beautiful and fun. I give it 8 out of 10, great artwork and a great game.